Getting a good exposure on HVX200a

M

mrbrycel

Well-known member
I've been trying to figure out how to accurately get a good exposure on my 200a (so far I've just been trusting my eye and the LCD). I tried setting a light meter to 500 ASA, but the reading was way off.

I was always taught that zebra's at 70% show the accurately exposed medium tone. But when I try the zebras, both 70% and 100% show up on the overexposed areas.
 
Could easily be your LCD's brightness. Only trust a good calibrated Monitor. Zebra/IRE wise myself I prefer to have skin highlights sit right at 80 where the rest of the face is somewhere in the 60-80 range depending on the look, shadows etc. This is where a waveform monitor can be your best friend IMO.
 
I second Jeff's point. I would trust the zebras 100 times over before trusting the LCD.

Just to be clear about the function of the Zebras - if both 70% and 100% show up on the over exposed areas, then they are over 100IRE. If only the 70s show up, then the luminance is over 70, but not as high as 100. The zebras show luminance that is at or above the value it is set at. I find 70 just kissing the 'T zone' or cheeks on a Caucasian to be on the verge of over exposure. The bottom line is to get to know your camera and hone your chops by practicing.

You can sort of 'calibrate' your monitor - turn on the color bars, and adjust the LCD brightness until the Pluge bars in the bottom right corner display correctly.


Jason
 
Forgive my ignorance, but the 170 has a waveform, they didnt add this to the 200 a?
 
Definitely not on the 200A.

Use your Zebras at 95 and 105, that worked out well for me when I had the 200A.
 
I'm super confused on the whole zebra thing. I'm used to using a reflective light meter like the one built in a 35mm still camera, where you set the F-Stop and the shutter speed, and it either tells you that what your pointing at is correctly exposed, or needs to be stopped down or up.

I've been reading about IRE and zebra stripes, and read that 0 is black without detail, and 100 is white without detail. What number would be equivalent to what a light meter would say is correctly exposed?
 
All exposures are about capturing a scale of tones between Black and White. (Shadow to Highlight). Think in terms of a GREY SCALE. ie Black thru Grey scales thru to White.

100% Zebra shows you what will expose as white in your image. eg a white bg, white sign, a light bulb if you set the zebras at this level with your iris. There is no detail in white at this level.

60-80% Zebra shows what exposes as Mid tones ie GREY Scales and usually that is where skin tones fit in a normal exposure. There is detail in this image.

Below these level the tones move thru grey towards black. ( Shadows). At the lower levels 15% TO 0% there is minimal detail to no detail.

Correct Exposure is determined where you want the grey tone to sit in the image.
Normal face/skin 70-80%.
Under exposed moody face 40 - 60%
Over exposed bright face 80 - 90%
 
Ok thanks, I think I'm understanding it now.

But just to clear it up... Is it safe to say that:

-You shoot a person on video
-F2 and 1/60th shutter
-zebra stripes at 70% are on the subject

Is equal to

-You shoot a person on a 35mm still camera
-F2 and 1/60th shutter
-The reflective light meter reads that the settings will make a correct exposure
 
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